Keeping a clean sheet despite having 3 CBs missing before the start, and 4 after Famewo went off is a superb achievement. A shame about his injury, he didn't seem to be in the pain Doughty was so hopefully not such a long absence.
I liked the balance of the team as well, a better mix between defensive players and creative ones than in some of the recent starting matches, and Bowyer's sub were spot on too as 2 fresh legs up top meant that we carried a serious threat on the break, which we wouldn't have if he had made more defensive ones. Smyth is such a good person to bring on against tired legs
Gunther looks a natural at CB, I'm amazed that a Championship club didn't want him. Shinnie was also brilliant. Able to work hard and do the defensive work, but with the quality to carry the ball forward. Excellent first half for Jonny, the crucial thing about his goal was where he was when the cross came in, right in the 6 yard box for a tap in because he made the run.
Superb performance and as others have said, we're only going to get better.
To have significant players missing in Inniss, Maddison, Doughty and Watson and still be able to play that well says a lot about the squad Bowyer and Gallen have built here.
Every week I get a bit more excited about the season and life under Sandgaard, love it
Even more impressive when you factor in how free scoring Pompey have been and that we started the game with only one recognized centre back and finished it with none.
Teams that get automatic promotion, and dare I say it championships, usually find a way to get the job done in tough circumstances and we've been doing that very well since the takeover. Long may it continue. The attaching fluidity is coming too. We don't look lie dismantling a side yet, but we scored two quality goals today and the main difference between us and Pompey was we took our chances and they didn't. Doesn't matter who scores them as long as they do.
Lets just hope we don't pick up any more injuries midweek and then can get a few players back during the break. We're in danger (and in fact have probably already started) having to over play certain players and that has been a viscous cycle that has caused us problems in the past.
Portsmouth baffled me today, really was a case of re-enforce failure by lofting balls into the box in the hope that Amos would eventually drop one... Quite bad when someone like him has had to make a few outstanding saves during this run yet has virtually had an easy afternoon by his recent standards
Of course we got a bit lucky with Pratley but then you could argue that we've suffered the opposite with decisions against Lincoln and Oxford in midweek
As a result he ended up being our best player on the pitch, he has without doubt become our Mr Dependable especially when many wondered if he could hack it in Midfield this season, especially after he'd been so lacklustre for large parts of 2018/19, well today was your answer - Its not purely down to him but I'm starting to believe that the reason we're firing towards the top is because we've ensured that we've got the workhorses like Pratley and Watson in the building, players who know what it takes to build success on a short term basis
Frustrating of course that Famewo is now out potentially injured but looks a different scenario to Doughty's hamstring injury so fingers crossed that its not so bad - As mentioned on the Match Thread, lets get through the Fleetwood game out the way (that will be a challenging encounter as we've never found them easy opponents) and then we can focus on getting the likes of Pearce and Oshilaja back into the team
Teams might think we're dangerous now, reading a few Pompey comments on twitter saying we deserved the win, we're just getting started!!
Some moaning at Amos dropping a couple, but he comes for crosses and gets most of them and imho playing well. Last year we had a keeper who hardly came for crosses and put defence under far more pressure on crosses.
Anyway we were great today you can tell a real team spirit is forming, brilliant defensively and options going forward.
Great result. All of us hoped for it, but I don't think many expected it.
Amos worried me a little today. Positives were that he does look better and better every week at coming to collect crosses, (which is a really big positive) and he did keep another clean sheet (which is a huge positive) However, he had a couple of moments there where, in all honesty, he should've been punished. It was only good fortune, Portsmouth's finishing or their decision making that stopped them scoring. I've enjoyed Amos so far this season, but I hope he's got a couple of rickets out of his system today, thankfully at no cost.
Scratches head in disbelief.
Yes, he made a mistake early on coming for a ball he was never going to get and it could have cost us a goal.
After that, he has put on a first class display of goalkeeping. He has caught just about every cross that Portsmouth put into the penalty area - something they were doing a lot. Given the windy conditions, it was a superb display in collecting crosses and taking the pressure off the defence.
And I'm struggling to think, apart from his early error, what else did he do wrong?
Six games without conceding a goal. Keepers we need to worry about really don't do that.
By far the most impressive performance of the season so far when you consider the injuries. Another real team performance, not one person had a bad game.
Fantastic to see Williams got his first goal, Gunter and Pratley were both outstanding and Shinnie and JFC showed some glimpses of combining well.
The big worry is Famewo, that didn’t look good. Inniss back but the break is coming at a good time.
Great result. All of us hoped for it, but I don't think many expected it.
Amos worried me a little today. Positives were that he does look better and better every week at coming to collect crosses, (which is a really big positive) and he did keep another clean sheet (which is a huge positive) However, he had a couple of moments there where, in all honesty, he should've been punished. It was only good fortune, Portsmouth's finishing or their decision making that stopped them scoring. I've enjoyed Amos so far this season, but I hope he's got a couple of rickets out of his system today, thankfully at no cost.
Yeah, maybe but ...... it is the Third Division, with Third Division players.
And perhaps he wasn't punished - because it's the Third Division?
Another quality win, Shinnie and Gunter were absolute class yet again. Fantastic all round performance, shame about another injury. I wonder if it has something to do with overplaying it at the back sometimes, passes going a tad astray so players are having to stretch more to reach the ball.
Win on Tuesday then bring in the fringe players for the Fa cup and the paint pot trophy.
Comments
What happens when their strikers go on a barren run as you cant rely on the same players to score every week, aint gonna happen
Palace lose to nil
Millwall lose to nil
FFP cheats also lose to nil against Wycombe.
All is good in the world of CAFC.
I was so convinced LB would grind out a turgid 0.0 draw I went for a long pre lockdown walk with the dog.
Very significant win.
We might be quite good.
Keeping a clean sheet despite having 3 CBs missing before the start, and 4 after Famewo went off is a superb achievement. A shame about his injury, he didn't seem to be in the pain Doughty was so hopefully not such a long absence.
I liked the balance of the team as well, a better mix between defensive players and creative ones than in some of the recent starting matches, and Bowyer's sub were spot on too as 2 fresh legs up top meant that we carried a serious threat on the break, which we wouldn't have if he had made more defensive ones. Smyth is such a good person to bring on against tired legs
Gunther looks a natural at CB, I'm amazed that a Championship club didn't want him. Shinnie was also brilliant. Able to work hard and do the defensive work, but with the quality to carry the ball forward. Excellent first half for Jonny, the crucial thing about his goal was where he was when the cross came in, right in the 6 yard box for a tap in because he made the run.
To have significant players missing in Inniss, Maddison, Doughty and Watson and still be able to play that well says a lot about the squad Bowyer and Gallen have built here.
Every week I get a bit more excited about the season and life under Sandgaard, love it
Very happy. Mrs might get an extra minute tonight.
Of course we got a bit lucky with Pratley but then you could argue that we've suffered the opposite with decisions against Lincoln and Oxford in midweek
As a result he ended up being our best player on the pitch, he has without doubt become our Mr Dependable especially when many wondered if he could hack it in Midfield this season, especially after he'd been so lacklustre for large parts of 2018/19, well today was your answer - Its not purely down to him but I'm starting to believe that the reason we're firing towards the top is because we've ensured that we've got the workhorses like Pratley and Watson in the building, players who know what it takes to build success on a short term basis
Frustrating of course that Famewo is now out potentially injured but looks a different scenario to Doughty's hamstring injury so fingers crossed that its not so bad - As mentioned on the Match Thread, lets get through the Fleetwood game out the way (that will be a challenging encounter as we've never found them easy opponents) and then we can focus on getting the likes of Pearce and Oshilaja back into the team
Teams might think we're dangerous now, reading a few Pompey comments on twitter saying we deserved the win, we're just getting started!!
Onwards and Upwards!!
Last year we had a keeper who hardly came for crosses and put defence under far more pressure on crosses.
Anyway we were great today you can tell a real team spirit is forming, brilliant defensively and options going forward.
We really do have our Charlton back.
Yes, he made a mistake early on coming for a ball he was never going to get and it could have cost us a goal.
After that, he has put on a first class display of goalkeeping. He has caught just about every cross that Portsmouth put into the penalty area - something they were doing a lot. Given the windy conditions, it was a superb display in collecting crosses and taking the pressure off the defence.
And I'm struggling to think, apart from his early error, what else did he do wrong?
Six games without conceding a goal. Keepers we need to worry about really don't do that.
And perhaps he wasn't punished - because it's the Third Division?
Win on Tuesday then bring in the fringe players for the Fa cup and the paint pot trophy.